Slide structure for zipper

ABSTRACT

A slide structure for zipper comprises a slide body and a tab. The slide body has a top plate and a bottom plate, and the top plate and the bottom plate are connected by a connection part. Two sliding grooves are formed between the top plate and the bottom plate and on both sides of the connection part. The top plate of the slide body has two pivotal stages arranged along the lengthwise direction. The pivotal stage each has a pivotal groove at the center part thereof and the pivotal stage has a clamping cover. The pivotal end of the tab is engaged into the pivotal stage and clamped by the clamping cover.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a slide structure for zipper,which has light weight, less material use while keeping sufficientstrength.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]FIG. 1 shows a prior art slide structure for a zipper, the slidestructure comprises a slide body 10 a and a pulling tab 11 a pivotallyarranged on the slide body 10 a. By operating the tab 11 a to move theslide body 10 a, the zipper can be opened or closed.

[0003] Moreover, an elastic plate 12 a is arranged on the slide body 10a and has a locking part 13 a. The locking part 13 a can penetrate, fromtopside of the slide body 10 a, into the inner part of the slide body 10a, thus clamping the position of the slide body 10 a on the zipper. Whenthe tab 11 a is not pulled, the position of the slide body 10 a isclamped. Therefore, the slide with such structure has self-lockingfunction.

[0004] However, the slide with above-mentioned structure is generallymade of zinc alloy by die-casting. To ensure sufficient structuralstrength, the slide body 10 a should have enough thickness. Therefore,the slide body 10 a is not sufficiently compact and light-weight to meetpractical requirement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a slide structure forzipper, which has light weight, less material use while keepingsufficient strength.

[0006] To achieve above object, the slide structure for zipper accordingto the present invention has a slide body and a tab. The slide body hastwo sliding groove and has rounded concave groove on at least onesurface thereof. The tab has a pivotal end on one side thereof andpivotally connected to top of the slide body.

[0007] The various objects and advantages of the present invention willbe more readily understood from the following detailed description whenread in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

[0008]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of prior art slide;

[0009]FIG. 2 is the exploded view of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 3 is the perspective view of the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 4 is the top view of the slide body of the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line A-A of FIG. 4;

[0013]FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line B-B of FIG. 4;

[0014]FIG. 7 is the top view of the slide body of another embodiment ofthe present invention;

[0015]FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line A-A of FIG. 7;

[0016]FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line B-B of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention isintended to provide a self-locking slide structure for zipper. Theself-locking slide structure according to the present inventioncomprises a slide body 10, a pulling tab 20 and an elastic plate 30. Theslide body 10 comprises a top plate 11 and a bottom plate 12 with apredetermined separation therebetween. The top plate 11 and the bottomplate 12 is connected by a connection part 13 and two sliding grooves 14are formed between the top plate 11 and the bottom plate 12 and on bothsides of the connection part 13 to receive the zipper (not shown). Thetop plate 11 of the slide body 10 has two pivotal stages 15 arrangedalong the lengthwise direction. The pivotal stage 15 each has aconcave-shape pivotal groove 16 at the center part thereof and thepivotal stage 15 has a U-shaped clamping cover 18 on the topsidethereof. The top plate 11 of the slide body 10 has a through hole 17between the two pivotal stages 15.

[0018] The tab 20 is of long-plate shape and has a pivotal end 21 on oneend thereof. The pivotal end 21 is pivotally arranged within theconcave-shape pivotal groove 16 of the slide body 10 such that the tab20 is pivotally engaged on top of the slide body 10. The U-shapedclamping cover 18 is used to prevent the pivotal end 21 from escapingfrom the concave-shape pivotal groove 16 of the slide body 10, thusclamping the tab 20.

[0019] The elastic plate 30 is made of materials with good elasticityand has a bent part 31 to enhance the flexibility of the elastic plate30. The bent part 31 has a locking part 32 on one end thereof. Theelastic plate 30 is placed between the two pivotal stages 15 of theslide body 10 and is retained by the U-shaped clamping cover 18, thuspreventing the elastic plate 30 from escaping from the two pivotalstages 15 of the slide body 10. Moreover, part of the elastic plate 30is placed atop the pivotal end 21 of the tab 20. The locking part 32 ofthe elastic plate 30 passes through the through hole 17 of the slidebody 10 and penetrates into a position between the sliding grooves 14 tolock on the zipper.

[0020] The present invention is characterized that the slide body 10 hasrounded concave groove 19 on at least one surface (with reference toFIGS. 4 to 6). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, theslide body 10 has a rounded concave groove 19 on topside thereof. Inother word, the slide body 10 has a rounded concave groove 19 on topplate 11 thereof. The rounded concave groove 19 is directly formed onthe top plate 11 when the slide body 10 is shaped by die-casting zincalloy.

[0021] The slide body 10 is assembled on the zipper (not shown) throughthe two sliding grooves 14 and the tab 20 is operated to control theopen and close of the zipper. When the tab 20 is pulled, the pivotal end21 pushes upward the elastic plate 30 and the locking part 32 is movedupward to escape from the zipper. As a result, the tab 20 smoothly dragsthe slide body 10 on the zipper to control the close and open of thezipper. When the tab 20 is released, the pivotal end 21 no longer pushesupward the elastic plate 30 and the locking part 32 of the elastic plate30 is locked again to the zipper. Therefore, the slide body 10 is in alocked state.

[0022] With reference now to FIGS. 7 to 9, in this preferred embodiment,the slide body 10 has a rounded concave groove 19 and a rounded concavegroove 19′ on the topside and bottom side thereof, respectively. Inother word, the slide body 10 has a rounded concave groove 19 on topplate 11 thereof and a rounded concave groove 19′ on the bottom plate 12thereof. Alternatively, the slide body 10 also can only have a roundedconcave groove 19 on the bottom plate 12 thereof.

[0023] The present invention is characterized in that the slide body 10is provided with rounded concave groove 19 (19′). The provision of therounded concave groove reduces the weight of the slide body 10 while thestructural strength of the slide body 10 is not influenced. Thematerials used and the cost of the slide body are reduced. Moreover, thecost of slide depends the processing and plating thereof. When theweight of the slide is reduced, the cost thereof is reduced.

[0024] Although the present invention has been described with referenceto the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that theinvention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutionsand modifications have suggested in the foregoing description, and otherwill occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all suchsubstitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A slide structure for zipper, comprising a slide body havingtwo sliding grooves therein and a rounded concave groove on at least onesurface; and a tab having a pivotal end on one side thereof to pivotallyconnected to top of the slide body.
 2. The slide structure for zipper asin claim 1, wherein the slide body has a top plate and a bottom plate,the top plate and the bottom plate connected by a connection part, thetwo sliding grooves formed between the top plate and the bottom plateand on both sides of the connection part.
 3. The slide structure forzipper as in claim 1, wherein the top plate of the slide body has twopivotal stages arranged along the lengthwise direction; the pivotalstage each having a concave-shape pivotal groove at the center partthereof and the pivotal stage having a clamping cover on the topsidethereof; the pivotal end of the tab engaged into the pivotal stage andclamped by the clamping cover.
 4. The slide structure for zipper as inclaim 3, wherein the top plate of the slide body has a through holebetween the two pivotal stages; an elastic plate formed between the twopivotal stages; one end of the elastic plate having a locking part,which is clamped by the clamping cover; part of the elastic plate beingatop the pivotal end of the tab; locking part of the elastic platepassing through the through hole of the slide body and penetrating intoa position between the sliding grooves to lock on the zipper.
 5. Theslide structure for zipper as in claim 1, wherein the rounded concavegroove is provided on topside or bottom side of the slide body.
 6. Theslide structure for zipper as in claim 1, wherein the rounded concavegroove is provided on topside and bottom side of the slide body.